This application claims the priority of German patent 198 07 943.5, filed Feb. 25, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a wheel for a vehicle, particularly a spare wheel for a motor vehicle, which comprises an outer and an inner rim disk which are connected with one another, the rim parts jointly forming a rim well.
From German Patent Document DE 37 38 362 A1, a wheel for a motor vehicle is known which comprises four rim parts which are connected with one another by means of screwing. The rim is fastened to a rim spider which also consists of two pieces and which is constructed so that it can be fitted together in the hub area.
Furthermore, a wheel is known from German Patent Document DE 32 05 235 A1 which consists of two rim disks which together form a rim well. The rim disks are connected with one another by means of welds, a hollow space being formed between the welds.
It is an object of the invention to provide a wheel for a vehicle, particularly a spare wheel for a motor vehicle, which can be produced in a simple manner and as a light-weight construction and ensures a corresponding stability as a safety element.
According to the invention, this and other objects have been achieved by providing a wheel for a vehicle, comprising: an axially outer rim disk having a disk wall extending approximately radially; and an axially inner rim disk having a disk wall extending approximately radially, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming a rim well, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming a wheel hub, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming an outer annular web proximate the rim well, said outer annular web extending approximately axially, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming an inner annular web located radially inside of said outer annular web, said inner annular web extending approximately axially, said outer and inner rim disks being connected with each other at said outer annular web, said outer and inner rim disks being connected with each other at said inner annular web or at a location proximate said wheel hub, said outer annular web, said inner annular web, and said disk walls of said outer and inner rim disks defining an annulus.
According to the invention, this and other objects have been achieved by providing a wheel for a vehicle, comprising: an axially outer rim disk having a disk wall extending approximately radially; and an axially inner rim disk having a disk wall extending approximately radially, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming a rim well, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming a wheel hub, at least one of said outer rim disk and said inner rim disk forming an outer annular web proximate the rim well, said outer annular web extending approximately axially, said outer and inner rim disks being connected with each other at said outer annular web, said outer and inner rim disks forming a plug-type connection in an area proximate said wheel hub, said outer annular web and said disk walls of said outer and inner rim disks defining an annulus.
According to the invention, this and other objects have been achieved by providing a wheel for a vehicle, comprising two wheel parts which can be connected with one another and which together form a wheel hub, a rim well, annular webs proximate the rim well, and rim spiders including spokes arranged between the annular webs and the wheel hub.
According to the invention, this and other objects have been achieved by providing a wheel for a motor vehicle, comprising two rim disks which are connected with one another and together form a rim well, wherein the inner rim disk is constructed in one piece with a wheel hub and, between connection webs, forms a portion of an annulus which is supplemented by another outer rim disk, which has no wheel hub part.
The wheel according to the invention consists essentially of two rim disks which can be connected by way of corresponding face-side connection surfaces to molded-on ring webs. Advantageously, the two rim parts, specifically the outer and the inner rim disk, may be manufactured of the same or of different materials, such as light metal alloys (Mg, Al, titanium) or of a plastic material. It is also possible to produce the rim parts of pressed sheet metal as well as by casting.
For connecting the two rim parts, these rim parts have spaced ring webs which can be connected with one another, for example, by means of a weld, such as an electron beam weld or a friction weld or similar weld. A glued connection is also possible. According to another embodiment, a combination of gluing and welding and/or a screwed connection with a partial fitting-together is also contemplated.
The rim parts are formed out in such a manner that an annulus is created between the rim well and the wheel hub.
This annulus is bounded on one side by the ring webs and is bounded on the other side by the corresponding walls of the rim disks. By means of this formed annulus, an additional stiffness is achieved.
The construction of the two rim disks is selected such that the annulus is bounded by an outer ring web of a relatively narrow width and of an inner ring web of a relatively large width of the outer rim disk. These ring webs are adjoined by the corresponding relatively narrow ring webs of the inner rim disk, which have approximately the same width.
The wheel hub is preferably formed in one piece to the inner rim disk. The outer rim disk only has a wall for forming the annulus and no wheel house part. Both rim disks together form a rim well for receiving a tire.
The face-side connection surfaces of the ring webs of both rim disks are arranged in almost the same connection plane so that, for example, by means of a single electron beam weld, both connection surfaces can be connected with one another by this welding operation.
The walls of the rim disks are constructed to be slightly curved toward the outside, so that the annulus extends on one side of a longitudinal wheel center plane, and the wheel hub is arranged on another side of the longitudinal wheel center plane. This wheel hub forms the floor of a pot-shaped indentation in the outer rim disk.
For reinforcing the two rim disks, ribs can advantageously also be formed according to the invention within the annulus to the inside walls of one or both rim disks. These ribs may be directly mutually opposite one another, or extend radially and/or transversely or in a ringshaped manner. Ribs are also contemplated on only one interior wall which then extend to the other wall of the opposite rim disk. It is also contemplated that the ribs on the walls of the two rim disks are positioned to fill gaps or engage in one another in a tooth-shaped manner.
According to another embodiment according to the invention, the wheel hub is formed by the two rim disks which can be fitted together in this area, for example, by means of a press fit. For this purpose, a ring-shaped indentation is provided in the inner rim disk; and a correspondingly projecting ring web is provided in the outer rim disk. The connection takes place by means of wheel studs and/or an additional connection by means of welding or gluing. The additional connection in the area of the rim well takes place as in the case of the above-mentioned embodiment.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rim disks are constructed as rim spiders having ribs, the connection of the rim parts taking place according to the above-mentioned embodiments.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.